Liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization ion trap mass spectrometry of terpene lactones in plasma of animals

Abstract Liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (LC/APCI-ITMS) was applied to evaluate the bioavailibility of two different forms (free and complexed with soy phospholipids) of pure bilobalide and ginkgolide B in rats after acute administration. The same technique was used to measure the levels of ginkgolide A, B and bilobalide in plasma of guinea pigs fed Ginkgo biloba extract enriched in terpene lactones after chronic administration. The ratio R P /R A increased two to four times after the administration in the phytosomic form, where R P and R A represent the percentage ratio between the concentration of each terpene lactone in plasma and in the administrated form, respectively.